Washtenaw County Test and Tune program offers free repairs and upgrades to qualifying households

Jeff Ridsdale, Washtenaw County’s Residential Energy Efficiency Assistance Program Director, says that funding and time are both limited, but he is hoping to sign up a minimum of 80 families before the Test and Tune program deadline Dec.14.

Ridsdale says that the program already has attracted 40 to 50 applicants, and that he is looking for ways to seek out more eligible homes to service. Ridsdale explains that many retirees and young families should qualify for the program.

Think you may qualify? Here’s the program’s eligibility criteria:

• Must be a DTE customer
• Must have a furnace or boiler specific to your residence (this could be a rental home, but only those operating as single-unit homes will qualify).
• Must live in Washtenaw County
• Must meet the following income threshold: family of 1/ $45,000; family of 2/ $52,000; family of 3/ $58,500; family of 4/ $65,000; family of 5/ $70,200; family of 6/ $75,400; family of 7/ $80,600; family of 8/ $85,800.

The free service uses licensed contractors to assess, repair or replace items in your home with more energy efficient ones. Refrigerators, shower heads, lightbulbs and furnaces are all items that will be assessed and could be repaired or replaced free of charge through this program.

The program is designed to utilize DTE’s Energy Optimization Fund. DTE has that money earmarked to spend on various methods to boost energy efficiency, according to Ridsdale. Throughout Washtenaw County, eligible residents can call to schedule a free energy assessment, and that will provide energy efficient measures and repairs. The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development can be reached at 734-622-9025, or on the web at ewashtenaw.org/testandtune .